


Bandages and Katsuras

by sweettoothdinosaur



Category: Food Fantasy (Video Game)
Genre: Death, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Healing, Killing, Medical Procedures, Murder, Not Beta Read, Recovery, Trauma, also crimes, i have no idea what im doing so i might fuck up some characters, in THIS HOUSE WE SAY FUCK 50 TIMES A DAY, it's not actually frequent but it's for those who feel uneasy about those subjects, listen it's 12:40am and i want pipi centric story, no romance but theres some nods to a few background ships, pipi deserves happiness and nice things, revolutionary squad - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:20:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21932857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweettoothdinosaur/pseuds/sweettoothdinosaur
Summary: Pipi-centric story.He says it doesn't hurt him. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger," right? The reality is 'what doesn't kill you' comes back to kill you again. For Mantis Shrimp, the situation is different now.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 14





	1. Trash

Evening. Not exactly the perfect time for illegal activity. It’s more ideal for a strictly romantic setting. Emotional is fine too. And because evening was a sacred time of the day, no one would expect the worst.

The sun would fade away from the world, but the remaining light was rich. It did not become dark like the night.

Ideal for those with a light complexion.

Despite the mechanical mask he wore, his entire body blended in with the sunset. Sandy hair and bright yellow irises. Clothes with warm colours like autumn. Just like day time in Palata. It would be too easy to see him on a cold and dark night.

But the cold dark night was similar to his soul. Silent and icy.

The evening was the perfect time for Mantis Shrimp.

Throwing a duffel bag over his shoulder, he made his way through the streets of Hilena. He weaved into the traffic, sneaking onto the back of a cart. Specifically, one that was filled with fresh produce that would be taken to a faraway restaurant. That’s where he needs to go. A luxury restaurant.

  
**Specialty:** Seafood.   
**Class:** 5-star.   
**Location:** Golden Tree Cliffs.

This is what it was in the eyes of commoners and the oblivious. It wasn’t just a high-class, fancy restaurant. Underneath its kitchen, there would be an underground network full of supplies that would be sent to Nevras Academy and other labs.

> _“Pipi, there’s something I’d like you to do. It seems that there’s a large supplier for food soul experimentation. At first, I thought it was just some black marketing, but it’s actually more than that.”_
> 
> _“...”_
> 
> _“There’s a place on the coast of Gloriville. An underground base that has an endless amount of illegal items that are given to the labs. I don’t think that they should be having that many, right? Those humans wouldn’t miss a few crates. I’ll give you the details you need. You know what to do.”_
> 
> _“Yes. Big Brother.”_

In just a few days, Pipi made his way to Gloriville on foot. Because of his mask, he often avoided walking in broad daylight or using faster transportation. If he had to go through a crowd, he kept his head low. Humans were not the type to look at those who seemed introverted. They often turned a blind eye to the lonely-looking people who kept to themselves.

Usually, it would take about half a day to get to Golden Tree Ranch. However, airships can get there within an hour. Pipi patiently waited under the covers of the cart. The journey was terribly bumpy, his mask would often knock on the wooden boards. To prevent any further noises, he bunched up his jacket and covered his face to muffle the sound. Inside was filled with crates of unwashed herbs and root vegetables.

By the time the cart reached the destination, his skin and clothes were dirtied. But that was the least of his worries. As the cart was slowly approaching the airships, he crawled in between the crates of root vegetables. Turning around, he sat low and used his leg to kick a box of turnips out of the cart. The kick was powerful enough to send it flying a few meters away. In result, airship soldiers were rushing to the scene. The cart halted immediately as the owner went to take a look at his spoiled produced.

Now was the time to move quick. Tying his jacket around his waist, he quickly slipped under the cart’s canvas and out to the airship. Since the inspection was busy looking at the turnip crate scene, it was easy for Pipi to sneak into airship 71. Opening a large crate, he jumped inside. Now all that was left for him to do was wait.

The airship pilot soon went in after the loading was done. In just a few minutes, he could feel that the airship was off the ground. During this time, he would have to make a plan to get into the restaurant. But in the end, staying in the crate full of potatoes would easily get him into the kitchen. Getting out his blade, he carved a small hole to look outside. The airship was obviously landed because the hatch creaked open. The crates were lifted onto rolling carts and taken out. The men lifting up the crate he was in, were muttering that the potatoes were too heavy.

_No shit Sherlock._

There’s a food soul in there.

Peering through the hole, Pipi could see that it was almost sundown. There was a line of guests. They wore expensive clothing. Silk gloves and cashmere coats. Fine jewelry from mines that collapsed, pearls from polluted shores. Smiles of the rich that had no empathy, but full of bleach-white teeth.

They may seem like some rich people who partied and ate at the finest restaurants, but there was more underneath all that fancy attire. These people were the ones sponsoring and throwing their money in a pool for “food soul research.”

> _“Every person you see in that restaurant is part of it all. It’s a ‘meet-and-greet’ type of place. Having expensive dinners to celebrate the imprisonment of food souls in those labs.”_
> 
> _“I am seeing the picture now.”_
> 
> _“There’s one more thing I should mention.”_
> 
> _“?”_
> 
> _“I have been calling it a restaurant the entire time. How ridiculous of me. It’s obvious what it is. Another guild that Nevras has assigned in Gloriville. But I doubt you’ll run into trouble at Golden Tree.”_

Guilds were created for master attendants. However, many of them have their heads up in the clouds and believe it’s a fun club for cooking with food souls. It’s something complex. There are guilds that are purposefully created for exploitation and other guilds that are unaware of what they’re partaking in. This seafood guild just so happens to be one of the ‘dangerous’ guilds. The ‘danger’ is the truth of the guild reaching out to food souls.

From the looks of it, Pipi did not see a food soul in sight. He stayed still, looking through the hole of the crate. He was being rolled into the back of the restaurant and in a chilling storage. Just as he began to sit up properly, he could hear the staff talking about the crate of potatoes. Pipi held his breath, clutching his hand around his glowing blade. He prepared himself for what would happen when one of the men lifted up the lid.

One of the staff scoffed. “Who cares? Aren’t potatoes supposed to be heavy?” The other man agreed with an mmh-hmm. When the rest of the produced was placed in the storage, Pipi heard the door shut closed. It was made of cold metal, painted white, and locked with a password and hand scanner. That was very much the least of his concerns.

Quietly, Pipi lifted up the crate’s lid. Right now, the lights were off and he could hear the muffled noises from the kitchen. He stepped out of the crate and gather his things.

This was the right place. He remembered the blueprints that Boston Lobster gave him (that was later on burned for the fun of it). There was only one part of the layout that was important, the food storage. Pipi looked at the ground, memorizing the floor plans. Eventually, he rolled his eyes at the potato crate’s location. He pushed the crate towards the door, revealing a trapdoor.

He lifted up the floorboard and began to walk inside. He adjusted his prosthetic arm. It began to glow in the dark cellar. At first, it seemed like a normal wine and beverage cellar, but as he descended downstairs…. It began to smell of sterile plastic. He rose his arm up and adjusted its brightness. He stood frozen at the sight.

Storage units. Huge crates stacking up taller than buildings. They were perfectly lined up and organized. All of them would be filled with chemicals, metals, and plastics that would be consumed by food soul projects. Supplies that would be used to limit a food soul’s control and their soul power. The stench of these supplies made him twist internally.

Now wasn’t the time to remember labs or their materials. Switching on the fan of his mask, he jumped from the stairs and landed on top of a plastic crate. It was time to act. He zipped the duffel bag open and began working right away.

Because the guild was closed off to commoners and food souls, the management didn’t bother placing security down here. However, that didn’t stop this place from being well-organized. While the food soul was planting explosives on the crates and walls, he observed the underground facility. There was an elevator that led to different locations towards the inland.

Not for long.

Pipi finished setting up the last few explosives, throwing the duffel bag off to the side. Illegal, expensive, and real from Palata’s black market. He carefully tucked a small box into his pocket. He quietly walked up the stairs in solitude. It felt like the atmosphere of silence and the sterility was stalking him. The last thing he wanted to do was to turn back because it would only fill him with dread. When he got to the wine cellar, he turned off the light in his prosthetic.

When he climbed out of the trapdoor, he sharply inhaled the cold air. After recollecting himself, he got up and made his way towards the metal door.

**BOOM.**

The door was knocked off clean. Just as the staff began to react, Pipi simply turned the light switch off. In the darkness, he ripped out the wall and its electrical wiring. He swiftly moved through the kitchen full of shocked and panicking attendants and chefs. Finding the backdoor, he soon found himself outside.

Now, it was night time. The moon was bright and shining on the dark sea’s surface. Climbing on the roof, Pipi closed his eyes for a moment and let the coastal air blow into his face. Just for that single moment.

The crowd of guests were frantically muttering and running around because the power had gone off the fritz. The lights were flickering for just a few moments before blacking out. Running across the roof, he jumped off and sprinted towards the airships. Fortunately, some of them were empty. Immediately, he turned on the engine and began to hit the control panel. As soon as he was high above from the secret guild, he took out a little box.

Inside, there was a silver button. He didn’t hesitate and pushed it down with his thumb.

From his view, he saw the restaurant standing tall for one moment. In a matter of seconds, the cliffside exploded and giant chunks of rocks flew into the ocean. All of it collapsed. The inside of the cliff was set ablaze as the restaurant tumbled downwards. Everything plunged into the ocean within moments.

It wasn’t over yet.

After flying in the air for a while, Pipi walked away from the pilot seat. He popped the hatch open, he saw the midnight sky of bright stars. The fog was beginning to settle in the country. He closed his eyes, letting the wind rush past him and his tired body. Opening his eyes again, he knew this wouldn’t last for long. He would soon be at a safe jumping distance to the ground. Abandoning the airship, Pipi took one step out and fell into the forest below. His prosthetic arm reached out to the branches, gripping them tightly to prevent himself from falling straight to the ground. After regaining control of his body, he carefully climbed down from the trees. His body was tiring out badly, but Pipi forced himself to walk through the forest.

After a few minutes, the sound of a train engine roared in the distance. Sprinting with whatever strength he had left, the food soul ran towards the edge of the forest. Railroad tracks split the forest apart. From the left, there was a blinding light and the train was coming close. Stepping back, Pipi prepared himself.

When the cars were rushing by, he jumped into one of them.

His body hit against the wall inside, but at least he made it.


	2. Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i apologize in advance if some characters feel off or anyone gets turned off by my word choice
> 
> i literally have no idea what im doing as a writer actually you know what im probably not even a writer at all and im just pretending that i know what im writing

Light and darkness switched on and off. It was late dawn and the morning sun flooded the train car. Trees blocked out the light as the train ran through the countryside. Because the air was crisp, summer seemed to be coming to an end.

The sun’s warm rays hit his still body that was now lying on the wooden boards. Morning was peaceful and the environment kept him sleeping. Eventually, he would slowly wake up.

“Good to see you’ve caught the correct train.”

Pipi knew that voice. He kept his eyes closed as he began to stretch. While massaging his eyes, he simply said: “I know how to get back to the Light Kingdom, Green Curry.”

Sitting up, the blonde stretched his body. His eyes blinked in surprise for a moment. Green Curry turned to him, leaning against the wall. “I saw you laying in a terrible position, so I simply moved your body into a better sleeping position.”

“Thanks.” Pipi stood up and walked towards the door of the car.

“Of course…. Sweet Tofu will be the one to fix you up when we get back.” He replied. “As for me, I think I need a change of clothes.”

Pipi took a look at Green Curry for a moment. Realizing that he wasn’t in his usual attire, but wearing the uniform of a servant. By now, the green-haired food soul had loosened it.

“I assume that your mission was…. Unenjoyable.”

“It’s one thing to dress up as a maid and play along, but spending days and nights as a loyal slave is something different. But the results became interesting as time went on.” Green Curry said, turning to look outside. “In the end, they all perished in Fallen territory.”

The scenery rushed past by them. Out of the forest, it became a view of the sunrise. Sunlight hit the tall, golden plains. Meadows of delicate flowers moving with the wind. The morning air was cold enough to see your own breath. Both food souls watched the countryside of Gloriville, not speaking. Pipi had his arms on the rail of the door. His bright yellow eyes became reflective and shone from the sunlight. The speeding train made their hair blow to the side.

“You don’t look very tense at the moment, so I believe you’ve accomplished your mission?” Pipi nodded, still looking away from the other food soul. It was silent for a moment until Green Curry changed his tone of voice, “I’ve also noticed you’re covered in dirt and oil as well—”

“Gun powder too.” Pipi sighed. “I threw myself in random produce crates and handled explosives.”

“Exactly why you should probably take a long bath. Honourable brother would say you deserve a long soak.” The blonde averted his eyes, mumbling something while the other food soul continued talking. “I know a place in the Light Kingdom that has exquisite blends for soreness and pain...”

* * *

They got to the Light Kingdom by evening but arrived back-to-base by nightfall. The environment was clear and soothing. This secret location was no palace, but neither was it a hovel. It would be best described as a bungalow. The base’s exterior wasn’t exactly a beautiful image, but it camouflaged with the surrounding nature.

Outside was serene. Crickets chirped peacefully and nocturnal birds roamed freely. One could hear water gently from a nearby stream. In the distance, it was possible to hear the faint crashing of a waterfall.

It was left untouched by people because of the violent rumours of Fallens. However, it wasn’t much of a big deal actually. In order to stay in this sacred place, one just needs to offer the right (and enough) alcohol to Aizen.

Fireflies softly glowed in the darkness. Both food souls stepped through the tall grass in the quiet night. The journey here wasn’t that difficult, but it was long and took quite a bit of effort. As they approached the front, the door bursts open.

“Is that really all you’ve got?” A white-haired food soul brushed backwards against the still field. Another food soul approached from the lit door. He had bi-coloured hair like his heterochromia eyes.

“Not at all. Get fucked.” He said, throwing his arm down. A block of tofu conjured and he slugged it at his opponent. The other food soul smirked, raising his head up.

“That’s definitely a wrong move.” Raising his hand, a big red claw followed from behind. It hit back the block of tofu and ricocheted into Salty Tofu’s face. Upon impact, he was knocked to the ground. During this fight, Pipi and Green Curry simply just watched it unfold. Outside with them, was Boston Lobster. He was stretching his arm after his victory.

“My, my little brother. Looks like I need to patch you up after that spar.” Someone walked up to the front door where Salty Tofu was laying. It was Sweet Tofu, his older twin. Just as he was about to pull up his younger brother, he took notice of the two food souls at the doorway. “Ah, it seems like I’m gonna have to stay up late tonight to fix both of you up~”

“Do that in the morning.” Pipi stated, moving a step back from Sweet.

“Fine then, I’ll begin with Green Curry after I heal my brother.” He replied and turned to the Thai food soul. “If that’s alright with you tonight~”

“I don’t mind you checking up on me later. However, please be sure to check on Boston’s injury before mine.”

“O~kay if you say so.” And with that, Sweet Tofu dragged his unconscious twin back in. This left the two food souls outside with Boston Lobster. He made his way towards them.

“Glad to see both you back,” Boston said.

“I’m very glad to see you too,” Green Curry replied, lowering his head. “I apologize that you have to see me in such bland attire, Brother. I will fix up my appearance soon.”

“Take whatever time you need.” The white-haired food soul made his way into the bungalow. He tossed his head back. “Are you going to come inside or not? Then we can talk.”

The exterior of the house was not a beautiful sight, but its interior was a different story. Inside, it was lit with a warm colour. It was filled with practical furnishing that had an artistic taste. The windows were open to let in the cool summer breeze.

All three food souls went to the main room and sat down. They began to discuss the missions they were sent on.

“I’ve completed my part excellently.” Green Curry said. “It was a boring role to play, but it tore down order within Gloriville’s set of Guild Masters.”

“It’s not really something that all of us can do. Knowing Pipi, he doesn’t really have the patience for playing dress-up.” A woman’s voice chimed in. She leaned against the wall, arms folded. Mantis Shrimp ignored this comment. “But I doubt Green Curry can pull off a hit-and-run mission.”

“Hmm. Maybe. I definitely hate the idea sneaking in produce shipping and getting my hands dirty.” He simply smiled, taking a sip of tea.

“Speaking of that, how did your mission go Pipi?” Boston asked.

“I saw everything…. All of the supplies sent to the labs, organized in unimaginable numbers.” He looked down at his hands that were covered in gun oil. He inhaled and then exhaled. “I eliminated everything and everyone.”

There was a silence amongst all four of them until Spicy Gluten broke the ice. She said, “You’ve done good. There’s no reason to feel guilty for those humans. They never used their money to save villages in famine. They were given warning signs towards a tragic end.”

Boston flicked the blonde’s hair, Pipi’s eyes widened. The other food soul said in an annoyed voice, “Yes, I know you’ve completed the mission Pipi. But are you okay right now?”

He blinked once. Then twice.

“What do you mean big brother? My injuries are minor.” Boston, Spicy Gluten, and Green Curry all glanced at each other, but didn’t say anything aloud.

“I see. But you’ve just seen the biggest storage of lab supplies used on….” He trailed off.

“….Food souls that would be held captive in the labs.” Green Curry set down his cup of tea on the table.

If it weren’t for his mask, everyone would be able to see Pipi slightly biting his lower lip. He had seen those shipments and supplies in abundance. However, he was able to keep himself in check when setting up the explosives.

“It’s fine.” He shook his head. “I was able to set the explosives without hesitation.”

“I knew you’d say something like this.” Boston leaned back. “For right now, I need you to rest. Don’t go running around all over the place.”

“That means you need to go clean yourself up.” Spicy grabbed the orange jacket tied around his waist and began to drag the food soul out of the room.

“Ah Spicy, I left a bag of bath blends near the door. Please be sure he uses them for his sore muscles.” Green Curry chirped. He and Boston were alone in the room now. A few moments passed by, ensuring that the redhead left with Mantis Shrimp. Carefully, the bird-like mask was set down. A pair of calm eyes gazed at Boston’s. “You’re concerned for him.”

“Mantis Shrimp experienced the later experiments. The ones that were inhumane and horrifying because humans were advancing as time went on.” He said in a low voice. “The night that we met him, he almost seemed like an empty shell.”

“I remember.” Green Curry closed his eyes.

Elbow on the table, the white-haired food soul averted his eyes. “A long time ago, I’ve read in a book that; that type of emptiness is a small fraction of greater trauma. We need to keep an eye on Pipi or else he may….Fall.”

“Understood.”

* * *

“Here.” Spicy Gluten placed a bag on the dresser near the doorway. “Green Curry said that it would help with your muscles.”

“….” The blonde food soul nodded and stood there. He waited for her to leave before he shut the door closed.

It was a strange feeling to be back. There used to be a time when it didn’t exist like this. Soft yellow wallpaper contrasted against the dark brown wood. All the wooden furnishing was deep mahogany. It was filled with warm lighting. He threw his jacket on the bed and unlaced his boots.

On the right side of the wall was the door that leads to a personal bathroom. He slowly walked in and switched the lights on. From there, he began to fill the tub with hot water. He threw in the contents of the bag in the tub while waiting. In the bathroom, he locked the door. Then he double-checked to make sure it was locked.

Steam rose from the tub as he was standing in front of the sink’s mirror.

It was no joke when everyone said that he was covered in dirt and smears of black oil. No scabs were present on his arm, but was stiff from the recent mission. His clothes were covered in dust and sweat. As for his mask, it was kept spotless. Perhaps there was some dust on it, but it remained untouched and clean. After washing and drying his hands, he gingerly took it off.

Now, he saw himself in the mirror.

His eyes were the only open window to his feelings. Just by looking at those draconic eyes, it was easy to tell if he was calm or absolutely pissed. However, no one knew what shape his lips were. Did he ever smile? Or does he have a permanent scowl? Most people would safely assume he kept a straight poker face underneath.

Either way, he felt exposed. Pipi heavily sighed at the full face in front of him.

Vulnerability.

That’s how he describes what’s behind the mask.

He left his soiled clothes in a pile and shut off the running water. He got in the tub of hot water. From what he remembered at the market, Green Curry requested for a blend that would help him. Dead sea salt for the soreness, chamomile to calm his body, and then (as of typical) he asked for rose hip oil to for the reasons of skincare.

A bone-like arm surfaced from the steaming water. Not like _it_ matters anyway.

It is a prosthetic, but he wasn’t able to detach it. Literal bone fingers, then the skeletal structure ended at his elbow. There was no metal or plastic that binds the prosthetic to the delicate skin. It’s his body. A weapon.

And that meant he had to still clean it just like his other arm. It may be made with the finest technology, but it was waterproof inside and out.

> _A white room. The walls are plastic and the only stone used to build this lab was lead._
> 
> _Lab tables are the “beds” here._
> 
> _On one fateful day, I woke up feeling my entire body burning._
> 
> _I didn’t realize my arm is now a prosthetic. My nostrils burned from inhaling its strong bleach. The humans were obsessed with its white shininess._
> 
> _My chest became extremely heavy all of a sudden. It was not the ‘white purity’ like big sister’s._

It was just a quick dip in the warm water. Water splashed as he sat back up from the tub. Pipi reached for a towel and began to dry himself off. Being in a heated bath for a long time took away the soreness. Maybe just a bit too much. He had a difficult time walking around, almost as if he was drunk. All he wanted to do was throw himself into bed and pass out.

Before he could do that, he needs to dry himself. He put on a fresh shirt to sleep in and unlocked the door. On his dresser, there was a glass of watermelon juice. It probably came from Sweet Tofu.

The tired food soul drank all of it before, turning the lights off. With his last bit of strength, he walked up to the window and opened it. Crickets chirped and he could be able to hear the water from the brook.

At long last, he fell on the bed and blacked out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sometimes i wish i could write gc better but i have the brain of a 13-year-old and lack the mind of an adult


	3. Not Getting Any Better

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i apologize for never writing constantly, but i really didnt know what to do for this chapter 
> 
> i only know my plans for later chapters

“~~Wake up, buttercup~” There was a pungent scent from behind him. However, that was the least annoying part. He jabbed his right arm at the voice. Though, Mantis Shrimp did not land this punch. 

“I told you not to heal me when I’m sleeping.” He hissed. 

“Heh, I know, I know.” Sweet Tofu gave him a soft laugh. He had a glass vial in his hand. “It’s just that~ rubbing your back with capujet oil would probably be a lot more sensual if you were awake than when you’re asleep. And I know you aren’t into massages~” 

“Out.” Pipi still laid in bed face-down. He heard the healer whispering something, but he couldn’t process it. Eventually, he heard footsteps walking out of his room and the door closing. 

Sunlight poured into the room. Warm rays mixed with the cool morning air. He rose from his bed and sat up. Feeling refreshed from sleeping, he stretched his body. 

From the corner of his eye, he saw a stack of neatly folded clothes…. That was suspiciously not from his usual outfit. He unfolded them and his eyes widened. 

_ Why are they always like this….  _

Either way, he ended up putting on this new set of clothes. A black camisole with a white button shirt and dark denim. Of course, this outfit would not ever be complete without his mask. He gently placed it in position. There weren't any humans around, but he felt a bit more secure wearing it. Especially when he was dressed in unfamiliar clothing. 

The soreness from yesterday had disappeared quickly and the morning was refreshing. He walked out of his room. The hallway was peaceful at this time, Spicy Gluten and Green Curry would be getting beauty rest. Therefore, there is a rule that the tofu twins and Boston Lobster are not allowed to make a ruckus before 10 o'clock. 

That was the typical time that Pipi would question on whose bright idea of changing his clothes. He did not find Lobster in the drawing room and he guessed that Sweet Tofu had gone to check on his brother. Mantis Shrimp entered a room and noticed a newspaper on the table. Sitting on the cushion, he held the paper in front of himself to read it. 

The headline read,  _ “5-Star Elite Restaurant Collapsed into the Sea! Many Lives were Lost on this Tragic Night!” _ He continued to read: 

“On the night of September 28th,  _ The Marfont _ was preparing for a special evening with famous Guild Leaders and the brilliant minds of Nevras Laboratories. This restaurant was supposed to be the traditional place for the Academy and the wealthy to celebrate the advancements of Food Soul Weapons. It is known for being the safest place that even food souls were not needed to attend there!” 

Food souls were forbidden from entering the restaurant. Any case of food souls found in that area ended up with the food soul being destroyed. 

“However, on one fateful night, the restaurant had collapsed into the sea. From what investigators say, this was no accident. They concluded that there were illegal explosives used to destroy the cliffside, ultimately leading to the death of many humans. Of course, this investigation was done by humans because bringing food souls into the area would be disrespectful of the restaurant’s code.” 

No mention of laboratory supplies at all as he scanned the article further. 

At this point, he lost interest in the story. It was obvious that the writer was being paid to exaggerate and cover up the important details of what had happened. There were other stories in the newspaper to see. “Boat of Fishermen still Not Found”, “Fallen Angels Terrorizing Surfers”, “Does Seasoning really Work? Or is it Bad for Your Skin?” 

His eyes looked throughout the newspaper, reading all of these stories. There wasn’t anything better to do at the moment because Big brother was not there at the moment. Pipi sighed, leaning back with the newspaper still in his hands. The people who died in that restaurant had food souls. What would happen to those food souls? Deep inside, he hoped that they would run away from the Academy as far as possible. If they would not accept freedom from contracts of the cruel wealth, then he knew that they would be destroyed— 

“Oh look, your work is up-to-date on the news, I see.” A gloved hand plucked the newspaper away from the blonde. It seems that Green Curry is now awake. 

“Humans always shed tears when the greedy die.” He replied, narrowing his eyes. “....ugh.” 

“But doesn’t stop others from celebrating the death of the rich.” Green Curry said. He placed the newspaper on a shelf. “Anyways, you shouldn’t be reading this after getting out of bed. You’ll only get in a worse mood. Especially because newspapers have strict rules when it comes to food souls writing.” 

“It really isn’t  _ that _ early….” Pipi responded with a blank face. He then shook his head, and looked down at himself. “Are you the one responsible for my clothes this time?” 

“All I did was send your usual clothes to get cleaned. That’s all I did.” Green Curry never had a reason to lie to his face. His answer meant that Spicy Gluten was the one who left him with this new set of clothes. If it were one of the tofu twins, then the outfit would have been a whole lot more…. bizarre. 

“I’m going to need my old clothes back. I don’t want to train with this set of clothing on.” 

After a mission, there would be a resting period. This would be followed by training and sparring during the time that he was here. 

“I don’t think you need to practice physical combat so soon.” 

“Why?” 

“The Mid-Autumn festival is in a few days. Boston was planning on letting us take part in the festivities at the Light Kingdom. It’s important to take a break at the right moments.” 

And just like that, three days passed. Boston and his companions were entering the heart of the Light Kingdom. 

There were many colourful paper lanterns decorating the event. Many humans and food souls happily walked through the streets. They would be buying sweets from stalls or aimlessly wandering under the bright lanterns. Some groups of kids were running around to play games while the parents would be ordering food and drinking. 

Eventually, the group of food souls ended up separating. Spicy Gluten was off to bother Yuxiang and Salty— he just ran off. In result, Sweet Tofu ran off as well. His excuse was that it’ll be boring to follow the crustacean food soul around. 

That left Mantis Shrimp closely following Boston through the festival crowd. He had his left arm tucked in his pocket, not wanting to get odd looks from anyone. 

Usually, he would try to avoid these celebrations. He didn’t want to catch everyone’s attention. But another reason had been that he didn’t know what to do during festivals. The blond food soul was used to working undercover somewhere else. 

However, he wasn’t given any jobs to do since the Mid-Autumn festival was so soon. Not only that, but Boston wanted him to join in the festival. Of course, Pipi answered that he will accompany him. Literally. 

Mantis Shrimp did not seek out to enjoy any games or buy snacks. He hid himself amongst the crowd. The paper lanterns glowed a warm yellow colour above everyone. The sky may have turned dark blue, but the festival was enveloped in a golden light. Because he was wearing his usual clothing, he blended in with the festival’s colours. 

Although…. Boston was the opposite. His presence was hot and vibrant. People seemed to back away when they felt a puff of warm steam. Not only that, but he had his giant red claws behind him. 

“You really need to put away those meaty claws, you.” Boston swung around to face the person saying this. Without hesitation, Pipi ran in front of Boston and his first instinct was to grab the person by the collar. However, his right hand curled into a fist. It was centimeters away from the speaking person. 

There was a ‘peep’ sound. 

“Excuse me, but I don’t believe I’ve met you before.” The man said calmly. He raised his head, opening one eye to look at Pipi. He then turned to Boston Lobster. 

“Don’t tell me what to do.” Boston scoffed, annoyed at him. 

“It’s not just for the sake of the people here,” The brunette gave him a wide smile. “But if you don’t do something about those claws, then the children are going to climb all over them.” 

In his arms, there was a squad of ducklings making ‘peep’ noises and looking around the festival. One of the baby ducks saw that Boston was close and decided to hop onto him. 

“Hey! Tell it to get off of me!” 

“I tried to warn you, fufu.” He chuckled at the sight. 

“Who are you?” Pipi said. It was obvious that this food soul was no threat. Although, there was some kind of tension between both men.

“I see that Boston Lobster hasn’t told you about me.” He gave the white-haired food soul a side-eye glance. He then turned to face Pipi. “Let me introduce myself, I am Peking Duck from the Bamboo Mist Shop. And you?” 

“Mantis Shrimp.” He answered. There was a moment of silence, save for Boston grumbling about one of the ducks that was pulling his antennae. 

“Not much of an extrovert I’m assuming.” Peking Duck said, holding out his folded arms in front of Boston. The duckling hopped off and landed with the rest of its family. He turned his face back to Pipi again. “You’re probably wondering how I know Boston Lobster, but you’re too afraid to ask.” 

The blonde food soul glanced away. 

“It’s alright to be quiet. Much better than being around Bamboo Rice who’s always loud.” Peking Duck laughed. He gave Boston Lobster the side-eye. “Anyways, I was the one who found Boston butt-naked and injured outside of the village—”

“Don’t make things up!” Boston Lobster huffed. He tried to step on Peking’s foot, but he stepped to the side and chuckled. 

Pipi was still trying to process the first part of the sentence. Fortunately, his mask covered most of his face and no one could see his face getting red. 

“Maybe if you told Mantis Shrimp the story, then I wouldn’t have to tell him what _ I _ remembered.” The brunette said in a deadpan voice. “I’m just trying to make sure  _ you _ were listening as well.” 

“You— Nevermind.” Boston shook his head at the other food soul and turned to Pipi. “It was after I had to separate from you and Green Curry. I didn’t have much of a choice or I would be captured.” 

“You could have also become food for the Fallens as well.” Peking added. 

“It wasn’t exactly a vacation while staying at the pawnshop either.” Boston shot a glare back at him. 

“You were the guest. Specifically, the extra idiot I had to take care of.” 

“I would have been fine on my own—” 

“You literally devoured a dessert laced with tobacco!!” 

“You—!!” 

Both food souls began to bicker in front of Pipi. At this point, he understood the picture that they were clearly enemies. However, they seemed to have made an unusual pact to tolerate each other. 

Mantis Shrimp was still deciding whether or not he should break them up. Since there wasn’t any blood involved, he assumed that it was best to leave them to argue. 

Judging by what he had heard, he would say that Peking Duck is an ally because he made sure Boston Lobster was healed. Although…. Something also told him that Peking didn’t do it out of a kind heart. 

The presence of another food soul approached. Pipi looked to see an older-looking man running up to the ducks’ father. He looked to be a gentlemen-like business man. Peking must have felt the other food soul’s energy and stopped bickering with Boston Lobster for a moment. 

“Buddha's Temptation, were you able to find the missing fireworks?” Peking smiled. 

“Yes I did,” The gray-haired man said and let out a sigh. “But I saw something that wasn’t meant to be seen…. Anyways, I think you may need to see it.” 

“Are you really going to leave us out, huh?” Boston folded his arms. 

“And why would you want to come with us?” Peking Duck said in an annoyed voice. “It’s rude to butt into others’ business— And you don't know what we are talking about.” 

“If it involves shipping crates, then I want to know what was in it at least.” He stated. 

Peking heavily sighed. 

“You two may accompany us if anything gets out of hand.” 

“I don’t think any of you three will be prepared to see what’s in the crate.” Buddha shook his head at all of them. He took out a lighter from his pockets and lit a cigarette. His fingers were smeared with some blood. “However, I believe it’s best to explain the situation away from the crowd.” 

Buddha’s Temptation led the three food souls away from the bustling streets and stalls. They were walking along the quiet shoreline now. The water was a black reflection of the night sky. The autumn moon was the only light that guided them towards the docks. 

“As I said earlier, I found the missing fireworks crate for tonight. It got mixed up with another crate and the owner ended up with two identical crates. He was going to return the fireworks back to us and while I was looking for the correct crate— I found something that I  _ never  _ thought would be true.” 

The orange glow of the cigarette faded as Buddha stepped onto the docks. He said in a solemn voice, “I don’t know how to describe it properly, but they were ‘lifeless’ food souls.” 

“Lifeless?” Boston Lobster asked. 

“Doesn’t that mean they’re an ‘empty shell,’ then?” Peking Duck said. 

“Empty shells lack soul power to heal and fight, but they can still wander Tierra. Not only that, but it’s unlikely for anyone to be trafficking those types of food souls.” Buddha explained. “These food souls were…. ‘frozen’ and lacked colour. There was no trace of any soul power.” 

“They’re dead.” Mantis Shrimp spoke up and everyone looked at him in surprise. 

“....Yes.” Buddha exhaled. “However, when a food soul dies, their body is supposed to fade away with their soul power. These food souls had the ‘life’ drained from them.” 

They walked up to one of the large wooden ships. Buddha’s Temptation walked towards the entrance of the cabin and held the door open. All four food souls entered and began walking to another room that went below the deck of the ship. 

“The reason why I wanted Peking to be here was to help me get some answers from this man.” Buddha stopped in front of a door. “I haven’t had any luck with getting information from him.” 

“Should I try beating him to a pulp?” Heat radiated from Boston Lobster’s claws. 

“We need answers, not a dead human on the night of the festival.” Buddha lowered his eyebrows. “Also, I’ve tried that method already.” 

“I don’t think I can get information out of this man either. Judging by your fists, he’ll just keep on taking punches and try to make a story out of us.” The brunette sighed. “I doubt a lovely conversation can do anything either.” 

“Neither violence and threatening won’t work, it seems…. Not even an interrogation from Peking….” Buddha’s Temptation sighed, pacing the small corridor. 

“We might as well annoy the living hell out of him for answers—” Boston paused for a moment and a light bulb appeared above his head. “I need to go find someone.” 

* * *

Buddha's Temptation, Peking Duck, Boston Lobster, and Mantis Shrimp were all gathered in the main cabin. They sat around a table, letting the time pass by. 

“You sure this is going to work? If we needed someone to annoy the information of the human, then I might as well have brought Bamboo Rice here.” The duck food soul commented. 

“Bamboo Rice wouldn’t remember anything during the conversation.” Boston said. 

“Okay, I may have set the bar too low on that one.” 

“It’s considered ‘cruel and unusual’ punishment’ when it comes to the tofu twins.” Mantis Shrimp stated. 

Buddha’s Temptation looked at the two crustacean food souls sitting in front of him and Peking. He was very well aware of who Boston Lobster was, but never met the other food soul. Judging by his silently-threatening personality, he knew that he should be careful. 

“Why the sudden interest in shipping crates, Boston Lobster?” Buddha asked, he took a sip of his drink. 

“You made it sound important, so I wanted to know what was going on.” He answered. 

“Didn’t you say that you needed this information earlier?” Peking Duck pointed out. “Clearly, you need it for something.” 

“Yes, but  _ you _ needed someone to help you interrogate that human. And I got someone to do that.” 

“But we don’t know that yet.” Peking said in a deadpan voice. The lobster food soul scowled back. Taking a puff from his pipe, Peking’s eyes glistened. “I’m assuming that whatever you wanted to find out has something to do with the recent events of that one restaurant.” 

“It’s not your business.” Mantis Shrimp said in a low voice. 

“Not my business, huh?” He replied. “Whatever Boston does, I have to always clean it up.” 

“You—!!” Peking whacked the white-haired man with his pipe. 

“All I’m saying is that I want to at least exchange some information. It’s almost like you think we’re giving you this story for free—” 

Abruptly, the door slammed open. Sweet Tofu entered the room. 

“The human kept on screaming more than telling me things, but I think I was able to get something out of him.” The tofu twin walked around the room. “Anyways, he only told me that he wasn’t responsible for what happened to the food souls in that container. He was just there to take them someplace else.” 

“Someplace else?” Peking and Boston said in unison. 

“Apparently, he said it was to the ‘graveyard’ of food souls. A place to get rid of them.” Sweet took a mooncake off of the table platter. His first sentence made the room’s temperature drop. He continued, “I think that's what you wanted to hear, Boston.” 

“Grave….” 

“....Yard….” 

Outside of the opened door, they could see the beaten man running across the deck. Immediately, Mantis Shrimp shot up and gave chase after the man. He tightly gripped his weapon that was glowing from its heat. His footsteps stomped on the wooden docks outside. 

Using his stored soul power, he rushed to the human that was at the edge of the dock. 

Pipi lunged his weapon at the man who was looking down at the dock’s edge. 

Golden eyes flashed as Pipi’s knuckles became white. 

“What’s the graveyard? Where is it?” 

The man just gulped and accidentally took one step away from the edge. He plunged into the water. 

Walking over to the dock’s edge, he watched as the man struggled to swim away. Mantis Shrimp then felt the presence of soul power behind him. 

“Don’t tell me you were going to kill him when you were giving chase.” Buddha’s Temptation said quietly. Pipi didn’t say anything. “He was just a human paid to do this. He was just one of the small fish that would be eaten by the bigger fish.” 

“I doubt that he’s gonna get eaten by the huge fish now.” Sweet Tofu walked up to the food souls at the edge of the dock. “I offered him a poisoned mooncake.” 

“What.” 

“You’ll find his dead body floating nearby in about 3-4 days.”

* * *

“A food soul graveyard, huh?” Peking Duck said. Both he and Boston were outside of the cabin. They were talking at the edge of the boat. 

“Specifically, a place to get rid of them.” He muttered. “It’s not a common graveyard with flowers and tombstones.” 

Peking turned to face the other food soul and sighed. “I don’t know what exactly happened at the restaurant, but if it has to do with this— Then I’ll leave it to you to see if the two stories are connected.” 

“Tch, why are you suddenly trusting me now?” Boston Lobster scoffed, turning his head away. 

“Because I don’t think you’re suited to give these food souls a proper burial.” Peking Duck trailed off. “While I’m busy with that, I’ll let you run off to find out what’s going on.” 

“Just say when I’m allowed to visit their graves.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i want a mooncake (preferably one not from sweet tofu)

**Author's Note:**

> sometimes you gotta put your fave in a box of potatoes because you love them


End file.
